computer hardware and software Flashcards
Why do computers use binary?
Offers an efficient way to control logic circuits and to detect an electrical signal’s true (1) and false (0) states.
What does CPU stand for?
CPU stands for central processing unit. It interprets processes and executes instructions.
What is the function of a motherboard?
It is the largest printed circuit board in a machine’s chassis. It distributes electricity and provides a way of communication between the CPU and RAM.
What is RAM?
RAM is random access memory and is a primary memory. It provides temporary storage for the operating system.
What is ROM used for?
Used to store permanent data even when power is off.
What do HDDs use to store digital content?
HDDs use metal disks to store digital content on a hard drive.
What does SSD stand for?
SSD stands for solid-state drive and is a type of storage device used in computers.
What is the function of a power supply?
A device that gives electric power to an electrical load like a laptop or a server.
What does HDMI stand for?
HDMI means High-Definition Multimedia Interface, a standard for simultaneously transmitting digital video and audio.
What is the purpose of USB?
Transferring data between a host device (such as a computer) and a peripheral device (for example, a mouse).
What is the purpose of Ethernet?
To connect devices in a network.
What are the advantages of USB-C over USB-A?
USB-C offers faster data transfer speeds and more compatibility with newer devices.
What are the advantages of SSDs over HDDs?
SSDs are much more efficient and faster, but they are also more expensive.
What is the main advantage of an HDD?
HDDs can retain the stored data even when no power is supplied to the device.
What are computer peripherals?
Devices that connect to the core computer to give it more power and ability.
List several examples of input peripherals.
Microphones, mouse, and keyboards.
List several examples of output peripherals.
Printer, speaker, and headphones.
What is an application?
A program or piece of software designed and written to fulfill a particular purpose of the user.
What is an operating system?
The foundational software that manages all the hardware and software on a computer.
List several desktop/laptop operating systems.
Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, Linux, and Google ChromeOS.
What are the two most common mobile operating systems?
Android and iOS.
What are BIOS and UEFI?
BIOS stands for basic input/output system, UEFI stands for unified extensible firmware interface.
What are BIOS and UEFI used for?
BIOS is used to start a computer software system after it has turned on. UEFI is a simplified version of BIOS.
Where are BIOS and UEFI stored in the computer?
They are stored on the software of the computer.
What is ASCII?
American Standard Code for Information Interchange.
What was the purpose of creating ASCII?
To assign numeric values to letters, punctuation, characters, and numerals for easier communication between different computers.
What is Unicode?
It assigns numbers to represent hundreds of thousands of characters.
What does Unicode do that ASCII doesn’t?
It represents hundreds of thousands of characters rather than the 128 represented by ASCII.
What is a hard drive?
A storage device that uses binary code 1s and 0s.
What is flash memory?
Uses transistors to represent information as electric charges.
What is RAM in terms of data representation?
A memory cell, which represents a single bit of data.
What are optical discs?
Storage media that use binary data as 0s and 1s.
What is a bit?
1 or 0.
What is a byte?
8.
What is a kilobyte?
8,000.
What is a megabyte?
8,000,000.
What is a gigabyte?
8,000,000,000.
What is a terabyte?
8,000,000,000,000.
